title: Serratia marcescens-contaminated baby shampoo causing an outbreak among newborns at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
abstract: During November 2008 to January 2009, 11 babies in the neonatal intensive care (NICU) and three babies in the nursery were infected with Serratia marcescens at King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Saudi Arabia. Overall, fifteen infections were identified among 11 newborns in the NICU: septicaemia (five cases), purulent conjunctivitis (three), urinary tract infection (two), meningitis (two) and cellulitis (one). Three newborns in the nursery had three infections: purulent conjunctivitis (two cases) and omphalitis (one). Thirteen of 14 babies recovered fully but one died from S. marcescens meningitis and septicaemia. All infections were traced to intrinsically contaminated baby shampoo introduced to the units five days before the first reported case. The outbreak terminated following withdrawal of the shampoo product.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. tmadani@kau.edu.sa
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Madani
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alsaedi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Eldeek
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Jiman-Fatani
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Alawi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marwan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cudal
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Macapagal
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bahlas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farouq
mesh_terms: D002481:Cellulitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D018805:Sepsis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality; D016868:Serratia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D012706:Serratia marcescens / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012915:Soaps; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D012915:Soaps